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As the record-breaking federal government standoff approaches day 38, US airspace is about to get less congested. This doesn't apply for US terminals.

Precautionary Steps Put in Place

The current administration's air traffic agency has said flight numbers are being lowered to maintain air traffic control safety during the federal government closure, currently the lengthiest in history and with no sign of a resolution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget deadlock.

Airline regulators selected “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, an action that will compel airlines to call off thousands of journeys and trigger a cascade of scheduling complications and hold-ups at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Government Commentary

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, commented on X Thursday that the decision was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “about assessing the data and mitigating growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” the official remarked.

Flight Cancellations

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. These reductions might account for as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, based on an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The involved terminals covering more than two dozen states include the most trafficked across the US – including Atlanta, North Carolina's city, Denver, Texas metroplex, Orlando, LAX, MIA and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – like NYC, Houston and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be affected.

All three airports serving the DC metro – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, inevitably causing schedule changes for elected representatives as well as other travelers.

Related Updates

• This is the compilation of American air terminals reducing air travel on Friday because of federal government funding lapse.
• A previous justice department staffer who hurled a sandwich at a government officer during Donald Trump’s law enforcement increase in Washington DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal rebuke of the federal action.
• Several liberal representatives viewed Tuesday’s major voting successes as proof they should stand firm and extract as much as possible from GOP members before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democratic officials lauded Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, after her announcement that following two decades in Congress she plans to retire.
• The conservative leader, the leader of the right-leaning policy organization behind the conservative initiative, expressed regret for backing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to resign.